Machine for assembling shafts and armature cores



Dec. 4, 1945. E, POOLE 2,390,170

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SHAFTS AND ARMATURE ORES Filed Feb. 9, 1942 16 Sheets-Sheet 1 @www 16 Sheets-Sharil 2 Dec. 4, 1945. 1 E. POOLE MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SHAFTS AND ARMATURE CORES Filed Feb. e, 1942 De@ 4, 1945. 1 E. POOLE 2,390,170

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SHAFTS AND ARMATURE CORES Filed Feb. 9, 1942 16 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEK@ Dec. 4, i945. 1 E. POOLE 2,390,170

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SHAFTS AND ARMATURE CORES l iN VENTOR Dec. 4, 1945. L. E. POOLE 2,390,170

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SHAFTS AND ARMATURE CORES Filed Feb. 9, 1942 16 Sheets-Sheet 5 w? INI/ENTOR w BY@ 44, 5m/W34,

y A TTORNE Y.

Dec. 4, 1945. L. E. POOLE 2,390,170

'MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SHAFTS AND ARMATURE CORES 16 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Feb. 9, 1942 Dec. 4, 1945. 1 E. POOLE 2,390,170

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SHAFTS AND ARMATURE CORES 16 Sheets-*Sheet 8 L. E. POOLE Filed Feb. 9, 1942 lDec. 4, 1945.

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SHAFTS AND ARMATUR CORES BY ZM M Dec. 4, 1945. E. POOLE 2,390,170

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SHAFTS AND ARMATURE CORES Filed Feb. 9, 1942 16 Sheets-Sheet. 9

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5/9120 Y .505 ,am m@ M /f/ 'Q3/04 x l-Y j INI/ENTOR L. E. POOLE Dec. 4, 1945.

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SHAFTS AND ARMATURE CORES Filed Feb. 9, 1942 16 Sheets-Sheet 10 L. E. POOLE Dec, 4, 1945.

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SHAFTS AND ARMATURE CORES Filed Feb. 9, 1942 16 Sheets-Sheet ll [N VEN TOR 1 E. POOLE Dec. 4, 1945.

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SI-*IAFTS AND ARMATURE CORES Filed Feb. 9, 1942A Vles sheets-sheet 12 QN wmu QNN Dec. 4, 1945.

L. E. POOLE MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SHAFTS AND ARMATURE CORES Filed Feb. 9, 1942 16 Sheets-Sheet 13,

INVENTO Z' l.. E. PooLE Dec. 4, 1945.

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SHAFTS AND ARMATURE CORES Filed Feb. 9, 1942 16 Sheets-Sheet 14 BY @.m/WQZ, ATTORNEM,l

uw www Dec. 4, 1945. E. POOLE 2,390,170

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SHAFTS AND ARMATURE CORES Filed Feb. 9. 1942 16 Sheets-Sheet l5 we we? C7 INVENTOR W ZM L. E. POOLE Dec. 4, 1945.

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SHAFTS AND ARMATURE CORES Filed Feb. 9, 1942 -16 Sheets-Sheet 16 WMM WNQQQR www 3%/ A TTORNE E@ Fatented Dec.. 4, 1945 MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING SHAFTS AND ARMATURE CORES Lora E. Poole, Anderson, Ind., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application February 9, 1942, Serial N o. 430,031 T 01. 29-205) 42 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for manufacturing amature for dynamo-electric-machine having slotted laminated cores which are retained in assembly with their supporting shafts by providing the shafts with knurled portions which are slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of the central openings through the cores, and by forcing the knurled portion of the shaft through the central openings of the cores.

The object of this invention is to provide a machine for effecting the assembly of the shafts with the cores in a facile manner. To accomplish this object, I provide a rotary conveyor having work holders, each for receiving the quantity of core laminae sufficient to form a core and for retaining the laminae in slot-aligned relation. 'I'he conveyor is moved intermittently to carry the cores successively from a loading station to a Work station when the shaft is assembled and then to a. work ejecting station. I provide a vshaft magazine chute through which the shafts gravitate to a magazine feed which moves the lowermost shaft into alignment with the central hole of the core at the work station. I provide a mechanical hand which grasps the shaft so aligned and which supports the shaft for axial movement toward the core. I provide a collar magazine chute for receiving metal rings or collars which are to be press-tted upon the shafts and forced against one side of the cores. I pro` vide a collar feed which permits the lowermost collar in the chute to descend into alignment with the shaft aligned with the core. I provide a ram having a pocket for receiving the descending collar and for locating it in alignment with the shaft and providing a central bore for receiving a part of the shaft. The ram is movable toward the shaft and core to cause the collar to be placed around the shaft and to cause the knurled portion of the shaft to be forced through the core and the collar to be forced around the knurled portion of the shaft and against one side of the core. During movement of the ram, the mechanical hand moves the shaft axially to enter it into the hole of the core while the ram moves the collar around the shaft. Means are provided for moving the mechanical hand laterally away from the shaft so that the ram is free to complete the assembly of the shaft, collar and core. During the assembling operation and concurrently with the movement of the ram a pressure block is moved so as to engage a part of the core and the face of the work holder opposite to the ram so that the force of the ram is exerted directly against the pressure block and not against the work holder as a whole. During assembly a laminae aligner plate engages a core slot positively to maintain the laminae in alignment. Before the conveyor moves the assembled work to the ejecting station, the ram and the pressure block are retracted. At the ejecting station, an ejector operates automatically to eject the assembled shaft, collar and core which gravitate down an incline to a belt conveyor.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a back view of the machine;

Fig. 4 is a right end view of the machine looking in the direction of arrow 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view in the direction of arrow 'l of Fig. 5;

the line 6 6 of Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1; p

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 9 9 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view on the line IIJ-I0 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 1l is a fragmentary sectional View on the line lI-Il of Fig. 1;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary sectional View on the line l2-I2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary line |3-I3 'of Fig. l;

Fig. 14 is a sectional view on line |4-I4 of Fig. 13;

Fig. l5 is a fragmentary view taken in the direction of arrow I5 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary sectional view onthe line lli-i6 of Fig. 1 showing a longitudinal sectional view of the ram and its operating means;

Fig. 1'7 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line II--Il of Fig. 5 showing a longitudinal sectional view of the pressure block and its operating means;

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary sectional view on line |8-I8ofFig.3; Fig. 19 is a fragmentary sectional view on line Iii-I9 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 20-20 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 21 is a fragmentary view partly in longitudinal section vof a portion of the mechanism located below the bracket 2| (dot-dash lines) of Fig. 3;

Fig. 22 is a sectional view of the conveyor on line 22-22 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 23 is a fragmentary side View of the conveyor looking in the direction of the arrow 23 of Fig. 22;

sectional view on the Fig. 24 is a fragmentary side view of the conveyor looking in the direction of arrow 24 of Fig. 22:

Fig. 25 is a plan view of the mechanical hand and its operating mechanism;

Fig. 26 is a front view thereof looking in the direction of arrow 26 of Fig. 25;

Fig. 27 is an end view thereof looking in the direction of arrow 21 of Fig. 26;

Fig. 28 is a sectional view on line 23-28 of Fig. 27:

Figs. 29, 31, 33. 35, 37 and 39 are fragmentary views partly in longitudinal section (axially of the shaft being assembled) showing the successive` positions of the mechanical hand and its operating mechanism;

Figs. 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 and 40 are end views respectively of the parts shown in Figs. 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39;

Figs. 41 through 46 show diagrammatically longitudinal sectional views of the ram. work nolder and pressure block and show the various stages of the assembly of the collar, shaft and core;

Fig. 47 is an hydraulic diagram of the controls;

Fig. 48 is a chart showing certain functions of the machine.

Drive and valve control Referring to'Flg. 3, a base 50 supports an electric motor which drives reduction gears in housing 52. These gears drive a shaft 53 journaled in bearings 54 carried by a bracket 55 attached to base 5 9. Referring also to Fig. 21, shaft 53 carriesgear 55 meshing with gear 51 mounted upon but not directly driving shaft 58 journaled in bearing 59 carried by bracket 50 attached to base 5l. Gear 51 carries a jaw clutch element 5| for engaging a jaw clutch element 62 carried by a disc 53 slidably connected with splines 54 of shaft 53. A nut 55 secures gear 51 andclutch element 5| to shaft 58. A spring 96 in recess 61 of shaft 58 bears against a disc 68 attached to disc 53; and spring B6 urges clutch element l2 away from clutch element 5| and the latter against a stationary plate 59 having a lug 59a for engaging a notch-,39h in part $3 at the end of one revolution. ....g

Clutch elements 5| and`12 are engaged by a solenoid 1l attached to base 50 and having an amature 1| carrying a rod 12 which pushes a button 13 against disc 59. When the solenoid 10 is energimed, amature 1| moves toward the left to effect the engagement of the clutch elements. the thrust of the engagement being taken up by bearing 14 carried by bracket 60. Shaft 55 is connected by coupling parts 15, 15 and 11 with shaft 13. The-solenoid is connected with a current source by a push button (not shown) which the operator pushes to initiate each cycle of operation of the machine.

Shaft 10 carries a cam 19a engaging a roller 30a on a lever 3| pivoted at 32 upon a bracket 33 attached to base 5l. Lever 0| is connected by pin 34 with clevis 35 attached to a valve rod 36a for operating the valves of a valve unit 81a which controls the admission of pressure fluid to a pressure cylinder for moving the ram to be described.

Shaft 13 is journaled in brackets I3 and 39 attached to base 53. Shaft 18 carries a cam 19h which engages a roller 00h attached to' a valve rod lib which operates the valves of a valve unit 81h which controls the admission of pressure fluid to a cylinder which contains a piston for operating the shaft magazine feed to be described.

Shaft 13 carries a cam 19e which (21183565 a roller 30e attached to a valve rod llc, which operates the valves of a valve unit 01e which controls the admission of pressure fluid to a cylinder which contains a piston connected with a toggle mechanism to be described for actuating the pressure block which cooperates with the work holder which is aligned with the ram.

Shaft 18 carries a sprocket gear 90 (Figs. 1 and 4) connected by chain 9| with sprocket gear 92 which drives a shaft 93 journalled in brackets 94 and 95 (Figs. 1 and 3) carried by a plate |03 which is carried by frame sides |I| and |02 (Fig. 5). An idle gear 96 (Fig. 4) carried by bracket 91 engages chain 9| to take up slack. Bracket 91 is pivoted on stud 91a and is secured in adjusted position by tightening a nut 98 on a stud 93a (secured to base 50) against a washer 98h and the latter against the bracket 91. Stud 98a extends through an arcuate slot 99 in the bracket 91.

Shaft 18 carries a sprocket gear H0 connected by chain With a sprocket gear ||2 attached to shaft ||3 journaled in bearing |I4 (Fig. 2) provided by bracket H5 (Fig. 4) attached to base 50. Bracket ||5 provides a bearing ||5 supporting a shaft ||1 connected with shaft |3 by elliptical gears ||8 and H9.

Shaft ||1 drives a Geneva gear arm |20 carrying a roller |2| for driving a Geneva gear |22 attached to a shaft |23 journaled in bearings |24 and |25 provided by frame side |02 (Figs. 1 and 5). Shaft I1 carries a barrel cam |26 for engaging a roller |21 (Fig. 5) on a lever |23 pivoted on a screw |29 and having a forked end connected by a pin |30 with the portion |3|a (of rectangular cross-section) of a rod I3l. Rod |3| has round portions slidable horizontally in brackets |32 and |33. 'I'he left end of rod |3| is attached to a plate |34 carrying pusher pins |35 (also Fig. 7) for a purpose to be described. Shaft ||1 carries a. crank disc |36 carrying a crank pin |31 for a purpose to be described.

The armature core conveyor ,24. It comprises a hub |4| attached by a pin |2242 to shaft |23 so as to be turned thereby interinittently by the operation of the Geneva gear l|22 (Fig. 4). Hub |4| provides core-receivingrecesses |43 having cylindrical bottoms |43a. The left ends of the recesses are provided by plates |44 movably supported by the hub |4| and the right ends of the recesses are provided by a single annular plate |45 attached by screws |43 to the hub |4l. Plates |44 are movable longitudinally of shaft |23 and are attached to long screws |41 passing through plate |45 and the hub |4|. Between the heads of screws |41 and plate |45 are located springs |40 which cause the screws |41 and the plates |44 to be urged toward the 'right in Fig. 22. Each work holder recess receives a blade |49 welded to a rod |50 supported by the hub |41.

'I'he blades |49 are each located so as to enter a core slot of a laminated coredesignated AC placed within the recess. At the loading station of the conveyor |40, the screws |41 are engaged by the pushers |35 and moved toward the left by the action of cam |25 upon lever |23 and rod |3| so as to separate the plate |44 (then at the loading station) from the plate |45 so as to permit the facile entry of the stock of core laminae between the plates |44 and |45. Before the conveyor |40 moves this work holder to the operating station, the pushers |35 are retracted from the screws |41 to release the springs |48 which cause the plate |44 to be urged against the core and thus to grip the core between the plates |44 and |45.

The retractz'ble laminae aligner In Figs. 8 and 9 the loading station is marked LS, the operating or assembling station is marked AS, and tive ejecting station is marked ES, The direction of rotation of conveyor |40 is clockwise in Fig. 8 and counter-clockwise in Fig. 9. After the core AC arrives at the station AS, its laminae are aligned also by a blade |60 attached to a sliding bar |6| guided by a frame |62 attached to a bracket |63 attached to a channel bracket |64 integral with bracket |65 attached to frame side Bar |6| is actuated by a lever |66 supported on a pivot rod journaled in the bearing bracket 95 and carrying a roller |68 received by tre race |69 of a cam |10 attached to shaft 93. Shaft 93 makes one revolution for every one-eighth revolution or indexing movement of shaft |23. Cam causes blade |60 to extend into a core slot after the core AC arrives at the station AS and before tle assembly operation starts, After the assembling operation, the blade |60 is retracted from the core AC before the core moves from the station AS to the station ES.

y The core ejector After the core AC arrives at the station ES, the shaft S with which it has been assembled (at station AS) is engaged by a ypair of levers |1| (Fig. 3) pivoted at |12 (Fig. 9) upon a bracket |13 attached to support 22| and connected at |14 with a rod pivoted upon tle crank pin |31 of crank disc |36 driven by shaft ||1. Lever |1| moves counter-clockwise (Fig. 9) to cause core AC to move out of the Work-holder recess |43 which had received it; and the assembly of shaft S and core AC rolls down the inclined surfaces |16 of plates |11 (Fig. 8) supported by base 50 and from thence upon a conveyor belt |18 moving in a channel |19.

Shaft magazine chute and feed Referring to Fig. 13, the shafts S descend through a chute |80; and the lowermost shaft is permitted at a certain time to descend upon V-blocks |8| attached by pivot pins |82 to a slide |83 screw threadedly connected at |84 with a rod |85 which is connected by an adjustable rod |86, (having threaded ends of opposite thread pitch) with a piston rod |81 connected with a piston (not shown) in a cylinder |88 having pipe connections |89 and |90 with valve unit 81D (Fig. 47). When the valve rod 86h is down, oil into pressure ows under cylinder |88 through pipe |89 and oil is discharged through pipe |90 so that V blocks |8| move left to carry a shaft S into alignment with a core with which the shaft is to be assembled. When valve rod 86h is up, the connections are reversed so that oil flows into cylinder |88 through pipe |90 so that V block |8| moves right into the position shown in Fig. 13.

Rod |85 slides in a bearing sleeve |9| carried by bracket |64 which supports the cylinder |88, Chute |80 is supported by a bracket |92 (Figs. 4 and 5) and chute |80 supports a bracket |93 in which a shaft |94 is journaled. Shaft |94 carries a bell crank lever |95, The lowermost portion |95a of this lever carries a lug |96 having a V-edge |96a, said lug being located normally shafts.

so as to separate the left end portions of the two lowermost shafts. When in thisposition the lug is effective to prevent the shaft immediately above that supported by blocks |8| from coming into engagement with the vsplined or knurled portions of the shaft so supported as not to interfere with the movement of the shaft which is supported by the blocks |8| to the position S where it is in alignment with the opening in the armature core. This permits the free movement of the lowermost shaft S Without becoming engaged with the knurled or splined portions of the shaft above. After the V blocks |8| have been moved by the rod |85, as already described, and rave moved a shaft to the position S (Fig. 13) in which position it is grasped by a mechanical hand 2|0, the construction and operation of which will be described later, and the rod and blocks |8| have been returned to their normal position, the lug |96 moves toward the left (Fig. 13) to permit the lowermost shaft then in the chute to descend upon tre V blocks |81; and then the lug |96 moves toward the right to maintain separation between the two lowermost These movements of the lug |96 are effected by a cam |91 having a race |98 engaging a rol1er |99 on the end of arm |95. Cam |91 is driven by shaft 93.

During movement of the V blocks |8| toward the left they are resiliently supported by leaf springs 20| which permit the V blocks |8| to yield and move downwardly in case' the shaft S is not exactly aligned with the opening between the ngers of the mechanical hand (to be described).

By providing the rod |85 with an annular groove -202 defining shoulders 203, said rod |85 constitutes a valve for controlling ports 204 in bearing sleeve |9|y said ports being in alignment with threaded holes 205 with which pipes are attached as shown in the hydraulic diagram Fig.

47), which will be described fully later. For the present it is sufficient to state that when rod |85 is in normal position pressure fluid may flow from one threaded opening 205 to the otherfor the purpose of operating the ram which assembles the shaft of the core. When the rod |85 has moved toward the left from the position shown in Fig. 13 to locate a shaft S in alignment with the ram the passagereferred to will be shut off so that the ram can not be operated until the rod |85 returns to normal position.

The mechanical hand Referring to Figs. 13, 25 through 28, after the shaft S arrives at position S (Fig. 13) it is grasped by a mechanical hand 2 |0 having fingers 2|| and 2|2 pivoted at 2|3 and 2|4 respectively upon a block 2|5 attached to a sleeve 2|6 having bushings 2|1 rotatable upon and slidable along a rod 2|8 supported by brackets 2|9 and 220 attached to an inverted T-bar 22| supported by base 50. T-bar 22| supports a rail 222 received by a notch 223 in a plate 224 attached to the ram (to be described). Plate 224 carries a roller 225 received by a groove 226 formed in the side of sleeve 2|6 and providing cam surfaces 221 and 228, so that the sleeve 2|6 may be rotated at certain times'when the plate 224 moves along the rail 222. At other times the sleeve 2|6 is not permitted to rotate due to the fact that a roller 23D carried by the sleeve 2|6 engages a rail`23| supported by the brackets 2| 9 and 220. At the times that it is desired to rotate the sleeve 2|6 the roller 230 is aligned with a notch m, as shown in Fig. 31. This anows the hand 2I0 to move successively into the position shown in Figs. 34, 36 and 38. During the movement the fingers 2I| and 2I2 become separated for a purpose and in a marmer to the described later.

Bar 233 has a cam 233a which strikes' a cam 235e on a block 235 attached to nger 2 I2 there-'-` by causing the latter to move down against the action of a spring 235 encircling a rod 23h-*having at its lower end a washer 23B held by a pin 239 and attached to finger 2II, said spring 236 bearing against the underside of the finger 2I2. During the return of the hand 2I0 to normal position, the bar 233 is retracted 'from engagement with the cam block 235 of finger 2 I2. During the first part of the return movement of the hand 2I0 from the position shown in Fig. 40 to that position shown in Fig. 30, the hand rotates into horizontal position as shown in Fig. 32 and then moves toward the left (Fig. 25) into the normal position shown in'Fig. 25. During this latter movement, the bar 233 is eammed toward the left (Fig. 13) or toward the right in Figs. 27 and 28, by the cooperation of stationary fingers 240 with shoulders 24| provided by bar 233. As shown in Fig. 28 the shoulders 24| are at the right side of notches 242 in the bar 233, said notches being separated by a neck 243 (Fig. 27) which is received by the notch 244 which separates the fingers 240. Fingers 240 have inclined surfaces 240a which engage the Shoulders 24| to cam the bar 233 toward the right (Fig. 28) or toward the left (Fig. 13) when the hand 2|0 moves and returns to the normal position shown in Figs. 13 and 2'7. Fingers 240 are integral with a bracket 245 attached to rail 23|. The operation of the hand 2 I 0 will be more fully explained in connection with the operation of the ram.

The collar magazine chute and feed Referring to Fig. 11, the rings or collars CL descend through a chute 250 and the lowermqst collar C in the chute rests upon a disc 25| rotated by shaft 83 and having a notch 252 for The assembling ram Referring to Fig. 16, the base 50 supports a frame 255 providing a tubular housing 25| containing acylinder 252 containing a lining sleeve 253 receiving a piston 254 connected with arod 255 and a sleeve 255 slidable through a bushing 251 in onend of the 255 slidable through the packing 255 in the right end wall of cylinder 252, said packing being secured by a-gland or stuffing bushing 210. Rod 255 is slidable through a bushing 21| in rain 255, said bushing being notched at 212 to receive lugs 213 provided by the rod 255. Rod 255 contains a liner 215 having a central, stepped bore 215 of a shape adapted to receive a portion of a shaft S. The liner 215 is in alignment with a hole 230a in a plate 230 attached to the ram end plate 224. Plate 224 carries a liner 28| into which the collars C are pushed by the ram liner 215. plungers 25 I a yieldingly retain a collar C in liner 25|. Plate 224 being prevented from rotating by engagement with rail 222 (Fig. 13), prevents Spring pressed rotation of ram 255; therefore hole 254 remains in alignment with shaft 53 in Fig. 11. Cylinder end plate 285 is attached by screws 255 to housing 26| and by screws 251 to cylinder 252. End plate 255 has a. tapped hole 255 for making connection with a pipe 253 conducting a pressure u/ld to the left side of piston 254. Pipe 255 conducts pressure fluid to the right side of piston ,254. Pipes 289 and 230 are connected with valve unit 51a (Figs. 3 and 47). When valve rod 55a is up the piston 28.4 is forced toward the left into the normal position shown in Fig. 16. When the rod 36a is down, the piston 254 is forced successively into the positions shown in Figs. 41 through 46.

Workholder pressure block Referring to Figs. 2, 5, 6 and 17, and 47, a cylinder 300 pivoted at 30| on a plate 352 supported near the bottom ofthe frame 55 encloses a piston 300a connected by a rod 353 with an eye 303a, Fig. 17. A pin 304 passes through eye 353a and bars 305 and 305, see Fig. 6. A pin 355 passes through extension 305 of block 3I5 and through bars 306. A pin 3 I3 passes through the extension 3I2 of block 3I4 and through bars 355. A block 301 is confined between the cylindrical surfaces of eye 30311 and block extension 355. A block 3| is confined between the cylindrical surfaces of eye 303a and the extension 3|2 of block 3| 4. Block 3I0 is attached by screws 3I5a to plate 3I5 which is attached by screws 3I4 to plate |00 and frame side Wallsl I5I and |52. Block 3I4 supports a pressure block 3I1 having a surface 3I3 adapted to engage core AC as shown in Fig. 29 and a surface 3 I 9 adapted to engage work holder plate |45. Block 3I1 has a central recess 325 for receiving an end of armature shaft S. Before the work holder |45 is indexed, pressure fluid is admitted to the top end of cylinder 355 in order to force rod 303 downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 10 in order to break the toggle and to move the block 3I'I toward the right in Fig. 17 or toward the left in Fig. 29. After the work holder |40 has been indexed in order to bring a shaftless core AC into alignment with the ram 3I1, pressure fluid is admitted to the lower end of the cylinder 300 in order to straighten the toggle as shown in Fig. 17.

Operations of the mechanical hand The operations of the mechanical hand will now be described with reference to Figs. 29 through 40. When the shaft S has been moved into a position in alignment with the aperture within the core AC and has been gripped by the mechanical hand, the parts are in a position corresponding to that shown in Fig. 30 and with the roller 225 at a position within the groove 225v somewhat to the right of the cam surface 221 of such groove. As the ram starts moving toward the left, the'engagement of the ram insert 215 with the collar C first moves the parts substantially to the position shown in Fig. 29 where the end of the shaft S is closely adjacent the core and the roller 225 is in engagement with the cam surface 221. Furthenmovement of the ram to the left carries the parts into the position shown in Fig. 31 where the knurled portion K of the shaft is brought into engagement with the end laxninations of the core AC and the sleeve 2I5 is carried along, by reason of the engagement of the roller with the cam surface, until it reaches a place where it can move no further to the left. During this movement there is no rotation of the 

